Chapter 122: Calming the Heart
At this time, at Roam city…
Varlen stood in the middle of a large square where many people were standing watching, directing their eyes toward the same high place.
Varlen was interrogating some maid who was kneeling on the ground crying, yet there was not a single bruise from a beating.
The young maid, tears streaming, said:
"T-That day... I personally saw the young lady and young master being taken away."
"I was standing at the building opposite and saw them being taken. Their eyes were soulless like a living corpse."
The noise grew louder.
"Truly the Ravencourt lot deserve to die."
"Demon scum."
But there were still those who remained suspicious standing below.
"Not using any beatings? How can I believe that?"
"Yeah, why believe it, we're just here for the gossip."
Varlen smirked. He staggered forward, face aggrieved while clutching his chest and shouted loudly:
"Everyone see that?... My two children have been brainwashed, their eyes are soulless."
"If they give the children to me now. I fear they won't be my children anymore."
"As a father, indeed this is too terrible."
Then he shouted even louder heroically:
"But I am not easily bullied, I will destroy Tharros and avenge my two children. Using the blood of Tharros as a red silk carpet for my children to walk to heaven."
The whole square roared with excitement and became even more agitated.
In the middle of the crowd, in the middle of the large square. Deep beneath the ground. There was something like a square, but not quite. They were bronze-colored metal bars floating in small segments creating an empty square frame, but with many large gaps. This thing was placed on a large block of stone, in the middle was an energy stone colored azure emitting extremely large light.
This thing was: "The Bronze Wheel of Converging Words."
It is one of the trump cards that many powerful people use. But it is also extremely difficult to use; once used it takes ten years to recover for the next use. This thing makes the user able to charm the crowd.
…
Information was spreading further.
At the gate of Tharros city, four merchants with their servants were standing before the city gate wanting to go out.
A soldier bowed his head, he knew this person was very powerful.
"But currently the city is forbidden from exiting, sir."
The merchant with the large and fat belly, from the carriage window spoke out angrily:
"I don't care, if I want to go out you guys don't you dare stop me. Otherwise, you will have to pay the price."
The soldier being threatened suddenly shook with fear and instinctively stepped back.
The major merchants and those who were part of Tharros city were wanting to leave.
…
On Cavensyl's side, he was clutching his head helplessly. Wafta stood at attention in front like the steadiness of a soldier.
Cavensyl cursed out loud:
"Dammit, that guy plays like that?"
Wafta with a look of helplessness.
"If he does that, even if we find his children, this battle will still happen. On our side, factions are splitting and many merchants are leaving, while the other side is very united."
Cavensyl with a haggard face looked up at Wafta tiredly.
"So have you found any information yet?"
Wafta closed his eyes and shook his head.
"I have tried to send people into his residence to search. But the soldiers inside surround and inspect very strictly, so nothing can be done."
Cavensyl was helplessly exhausted.
"So where is Selena? Why has that girl been gone for days and hasn't returned?"
Wafta: "Most likely she has to negotiate with those people or there must be some condition."
…
On Kazuka's group side. They were sitting opposite Selena discussing, everyone's face was serious.
Selena: "What do you guys think?"
Elyssia frowned and thought.
"Now, in my opinion, let's do it like this."
Everyone turned toward Elyssia.
"Now we will help in a few aspects. But absolutely will not participate in the battle, or it can be said we won't kill anyone."
"We will try to provide various time-delaying measures, including protecting the city to a certain extent."
Selena slightly disliked this idea. But the discussion so far had gone nowhere, this choice was probably the most stable the group of six offered Selena.
Ayaka smiled happily.
"I think it's okay."
Airi glanced at Selena who was still calculating.
"For example, we have Takeshi who has the Earth Elemental."
Selena opened her eyes wide with surprise and glanced at Takeshi, her voice loud:
"Really?"
Airi nodded.
"True."
"So it will be useful. For example, Takeshi could cause trouble for the other side if he builds stone walls to block the other side's city gate, or this city with lots of stone for defense."
Selena was still a bit suspicious.
"So is he strong?"
Takeshi chimed in, smirking confidently.
"I am strong, don't worry."
Then Takeshi's mischievous face appeared.
"But hiring me will be very expensive."
Selena knew the current situation was very tense, therefore if she had Takeshi it would be very useful for buying time. She quickly nodded without hesitation.
"Fine, then I hire you. Now you are the next City Keeper, the ceremony will be held tomorrow."
Aoto smiled and turned to Kazuka.
"Delicious, a big profit."
Selena lowered her voice to remind.
"Then specifically you, Kazuka, will not be allowed to participate or do anything related to our side, including contact with Takeshi."
Kazuka frowned; these things weren't too deep, but needed a bit of thought to understand. If Kazuka participated, or appeared with Takeshi, then it would confirm Takeshi was related to Kazuka. That would become a new provocation.
Aoto: "It's because if you go along, it'll be exposed."
Kazuka vaguely realized and nodded dismissively.
…
The next morning…
At the square of Tharros city. The crowd was packed tight, talk everywhere.
"Heard they are announcing the new City Keeper."
From the inside. Takeshi in a suit of shiny white armor, a sword hanging at his hip. His red hair shook slightly as Takeshi walked, he at this moment was no different from a true knight. Red eyes looked out at the large crowd. Since it was just an act, he was quite confident and comfortable.
Selena stood leaning against the tunnel wall.
"Memorized the speech?"
Takeshi nodded confidently.
"Memorized it, it's short."
Takeshi stepped outside, the "clatter" of armor echoed slightly with every step he took.
Takeshi stepped outside and stood above looking down.
The crowd saw Takeshi's young and handsome face; some praised his looks, some criticized that being so young he wouldn't have experience.
Takeshi sighed in his heart.
-"Alright, let's speak. Just two lines of text."
Takeshi held his head high and looked down. The sunlight as if choosing the right moment shone down on Takeshi's shiny white armor, making everyone looking from below extremely dazzled.
He spoke out loud confidently:
"Everyone, I am Takeshi. I will officially become the next City Keeper of this Tharros city."
"I swear to protect this place and everyone. Will punish any who dare touch the people of our Tharros."
The people, though seeing Takeshi was quite young, saw the heroic speech and also gave a loud "oh" when Takeshi finished speaking.
Takeshi looked down and observed, then shouted again:
"Then I ask permission to display a bit of power to prove I have actual strength."
Takeshi poured energy outside, his two hands opened like two spiders and turned his palms up to the sky.
Below, the people standing close to the large stage were immediately pushed back by soldiers.
The whole square suddenly was astonished at the scene before them.
Takeshi stood on the large roof, his left hand relaxed normally. His right hand raised slightly above his head, shaking a bit, orange energy thick around his hand.
Above Takeshi's head was an entire giant block of stone, which was the stage Takeshi had just stood on. Small pebbles fell "pitter-patter" below.
The entire stage fell silent witnessing it, a few people gasped:
"Really?"
"It's Earth Elemental."
Takeshi smirked and said loudly while his body was shaking:
"This is my power, Earth Elemental. Is this enough to protect you guys?"
The whole square shouted loudly with excitement, everyone saw this city had hope to fight back against Roam.
Takeshi gritted his teeth, two hands extended forward carefully and slowly lowered the large stone stage. The people standing gradually watched with both excitement and curiosity.
When it was placed down, he exhaled heavily from the difficulty of lifting it so high. Not to mention having to maintain it for a long time to let people know his power and having to place it back in its original position without any shifting, very carefully.
Jumping from above onto the stage, standing in front and holding his head high with confidence like a new ray of light for the city.
Cavensyl and Selena stood behind, in the walkway. Cavensyl's face seemed a bit more smiling after watching Takeshi perform and making the citizenry become more positive.
"Well done Selena, like this it will be harder to be bullied, the situation in the city will also ease up, you'll see."
"Now we just need to try to find a way to flip this hand."
Selena's face was normal, not joyful. She knew the current goal was to counter-attack, and Takeshi becoming City Keeper was just a measure to reassure the spirit of the whole Tharros city, and a straw scarecrow to threaten the Roam side.
Cavensyl turned back and asked Wafta:
"Where have my children reached?"
Wafta bowed slightly.
"Likely by noon tomorrow they will arrive."
Cavensyl nodded, face expressionless. He knew in the time from today to tomorrow there must be important information. So that when his children returned, they would begin planning the counter-attack.
Selena turned to ask Wafta:
"So how is the rumor control?"
Wafta's face was a bit serious.
"There are many people spreading news, we killed nearly two hundred such people. When we surrounded them, they directly used energy to injure themselves and all committed suicide."
Selena's voice sounded annoyed at this information.
"Then we must trap and knock them out, then keep them continuously asleep until we have more evidence. Or check the warehouse, I recall there is something that interferes with high-level energy, they won't be able to use it."
Wafta bowed to receive the order.
"Yes."